Louisville Arts Protest Ousts Fund CEO Amid Caravaggio Exhibition at Speed Museum
In Louisville, Kentucky, a controversy over public arts funding sparked protests and led to the retirement of Allan Cowen, CEO of the Fund for the Arts, after three decades. The issue arose in February when leaders from the Speed Art Museum, Frazier History Museum, and Louisville Visual Art Association raised concerns about the FFA's funding distribution approach. A threatening voicemail from Cowen to LVAA director Shannon Westerman was made public on March 11th, igniting calls for his ouster. Despite his accomplishments, the FFA confirmed Cowen's retirement on March 21st. Meanwhile, the Speed Art Museum is showcasing Caravaggio's 1594 work 'The Fortune Teller,' which will later be exhibited at the National Gallery of Canada following its New York display.
Key facts
- Allan Cowen retired as CEO of Louisville's Fund for the Arts after 30 years following public protests
- The conflict began with an open letter published in Business First in February questioning FFA funding distribution
- LVAA director Shannon Westerman received a threatening voicemail from Cowen after signing the letter
- Artists protested outside FFA offices on March 11th after Westerman made the voicemail public
- Cowen grew FFA's annual campaign from $600,000 to $8 million and increased assets from $43,000 to over $25 million
- The Speed Art Museum is exhibiting Caravaggio's 1594 painting 'The Fortune Teller' alongside works showing his influence
- X-ray analysis of 'The Fortune Teller' reveals no underdrawing, supporting camera obscura speculation
- The exhibition previously showed at the Italian Cultural Institute in New York and will travel to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa
Entities
Artists
- Caravaggio
- Gerard Douffet
- Rembrandt
- Johannes Verspronck
Institutions
- Speed Art Museum
- Frazier History Museum
- Louisville Visual Art Association
- Fund for the Arts
- Business First
- Italian Cultural Institute
- National Gallery of Canada
- 21c Museum Hotel
- Humana Festival of New American Plays
Locations
- Louisville
- Kentucky
- United States
- New York
- Ottawa
- Canada